Francis Cottington, Baron Cottington

Francis Cottington, Baron Cottington, (born c. 1579, Pitcombe, Somerset?, Eng.—died June 19, 1652, Valladolid, Spain) English lord treasurer and ambassador who was leader of the pro-Spanish, pro-Roman Catholic faction in King Charles I’s court during the decade preceding the English Civil Wars (1642–51).

Baron Cottington, detail of a portrait by an unknown artist; in the National Portrait Gallery, …

Courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, London

Cottington was ambassador to Spain in 1616–17 under King James I. In 1629 James’s successor, Charles I, made him chancellor of the exchequer and again sent him to Spain as ambassador. In 1631 Cottington signed a secret treaty with Spain. As a reward he was made a baron. His prominence in Charles’s council and his Roman Catholic and Spanish sympathies ... (100 of 257 words)